Cat Days

Cat Days Deep Dive

What the Community Thinks About Cat Days

Reviewers agree that Cat Days is simple, charming, and quick to learn, but they disagree about whether that simplicity adds up to a satisfying game. Cat Days is a two-player card game designed by Gareth Edwards and published by 25th Century Games, and it shares its design with the dog-themed Woof Days. Tabletop Tolson presents the pair as small, friendly card games for younger players and describes the art as cute while recommending the cat version to cat lovers. Ryan and Bethany Board Game Reviews call the game cute and worth playing, but they say it is not their favorite. Tabletop Tokki takes a sharper view, appreciating the art and theme but finding the gameplay too light.

Core Mechanics That Define Cat Days

Day-Slot Placement and Point Tradeoffs

Each player lays out seven day cards, Monday through Sunday, and the week does not wrap around from Sunday to Monday. Players start with a hand of four cards, and each turn they either draw a card or play one from their hand. Ryan and Bethany explain that every pet card carries a placement restriction printed on it, and the tighter the restriction, the more points the card is worth. A card that can only be played on a Tuesday scores heavily, while a card that can go on any day scores only a little. Because a player can usually place only one pet per day, the game becomes a balancing act between chasing high-value placements and keeping options open. The game ends when one player fills their week, and the highest total wins. In the dog version that Tabletop Tolson plays through, which the reviewer says works the same way as Cat Days, a tie goes to the player with more pets out of the week, since a player may not have all their cards placed when the game ends.

Special Ability Cards and Stacking

Alongside the pet cards, the deck includes special ability cards that bend the rules. Ryan and Bethany describe cards that move cards from one day to another, which opens up room for other plays, and cards that allow several pets on the same day. Cat Days handles stacking through a cat tower, which Ryan and Bethany say can hold up to three cats, while Woof Days relies more heavily on stacking abilities. Tabletop Tolson's walkthrough of the dog cards shows how these abilities cut both ways. One card removes the top dog from any player's area, another lets a player swap their Sunday dog with an opponent's Sunday dog, and a play on top of one of your own dogs can move that top dog into an empty space in another player's area. Because these abilities can reach into opponents' weeks, they introduce the take-that interaction that reviewers debate.

The Cat Days Experience

Light, Conversational Play

Ryan and Bethany describe a game that is casual enough to play while talking. Their two-on-two variant ran with conversation flowing throughout, and they say the rules are short enough that card text rarely interrupts the chat. They summarize the feel as "Very easy, coffee date type of thing." The format is also highly portable, since each deck is simply a stack of cards that fits in a purse or bag. That portability, combined with the low attention demand, is what makes the game feel suited to a relaxed meetup rather than a full game night.

Cute, Unpretentious Charm

Much of the game's appeal comes from its presentation. Tabletop Tolson describes the illustrations as cute and lists the variety of breeds on the dog cards, from Dalmatians and Westies to collies, bulldogs, and dachshunds. Ryan and Bethany call the game "super, super, super simple" but "still charming." That pairing of a small rules footprint with a warm pet theme is the emotional core reviewers return to, even when they are unsure the game will hold their interest over many plays.

What Makes Cat Days Stand Out

Artwork and Theme

Reviewers single out the art. Tabletop Tokki says the art and theme were appreciated even though the gameplay did not win them over. Tabletop Tolson calls the artwork "really cute" and recommends the cat version to cat people and the dog version to dog people. For a pet-themed game aimed at a broad audience, the theme does much of the selling.

A Charity Angle

Ryan and Bethany point out that a portion of the proceeds goes to animal rescue organizations. They see this as an added reason for dog and cat lovers to participate, since playing the game also supports a good cause. The tie-in extends the pet theme beyond the table and gives the purchase a second purpose.

Potential Drawbacks

Light Take-That Gameplay

The most pointed criticism comes from Tabletop Tokki, who played Cat Days for the first time during a board game review roundup. The reviewer describes the game as a light, take-that two-player card game and says the gameplay was "kind of like Gloom, very light with the take that of playing cards to your week or your opponent's week." The reviewer was clear that the interaction did not carry enough weight to make the game a personal favorite, and concluded that Cat Days was not necessarily for them, even while acknowledging its art and theme.

Not a Game-Night Pick

Ryan and Bethany are clear that Cat Days is not a game they would bring to a game night. They say they would not even pull it out for a one-on-one session at home, except perhaps at the very end of an evening when they want something that does not require much thought. Bethany says the game is "not necessarily my favorite game," and both reviewers frame its appeal around the right audience: a cat or dog person, or someone who is not a dedicated gamer but wants a quick game with a gamer. Its lightness is the trade-off for that approachability.

If You Enjoy Cat Days

Reviewers point to a few familiar titles as natural companions. Tabletop Tolson recommends Dog Lover and Cat Lady, both from AEG, as long-time favorites on the reviewer's shelf. Those games share the pet theme and card-driven play, but they add an open display where players draft the dog or cat cards, along with requirements and food tokens. Both run about 30 minutes for two to four players, which makes them a clear step up in strategy for players who have outgrown Cat Days. Tabletop Tokki draws a comparison to Gloom, describing a similarly light take-that card experience, so players who enjoy that style will likely find Cat Days familiar. For a deeper pet-themed draft, Dog Lover and Cat Lady are the better fit, while Gloom is the closer match for the light take-that feel.